Ice storm

[AshenLight]

We're in Chelmsford MA and got our power back about 3:30 yesterday afternoon. We checked into a local hotel so we could take hot showers and it seemed that many from the Southern NH area had come down for a warm place to stay. There are still quite a few areas of our town with no power... I hope folks can back back into their homes soon.

Ash

 

[Monophoto]

Experiences like this ice storm cause us to remember the critical things we overlooked when we set up our homes. I'm not thinking about the big issues like the decision to live here in the great Northeast - it's the small stuff that gets you.

Like on our first home - it never occurred to me as we were shopping for homes to ask which side of the street the snow plow came down first. Sure enough, our house was on that side, which meant that we got more than half a street's worth of snow dumped in our driveway.

And then on the present house - I knew that it was at the bottom of a hill, and that meant that we had to have a grinder pump. But until we had the first power outage, it didn't register that with a grinder pump, you have to start counting flushes when you lose power.

The only solution is to have a sense of humor!

[On the other hand, there is a seriousness here. The local news has reported that a couple has died from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning attributable to running an emergency generator in their garage.]

 

[sionnac]

My folks in Derry and Salem NH still have no power... they stayed in a hotel or got propane heaters. Hope everything gets restored soon.

 

[winger]

Suzanne, I'm so glad you and yours are safe and coping (it's the New England way). Gene, Whitey - you guys, too! Stay safe all of you!
My neighbor and I chose this weekend to go up to MA and get the last of my stuff that was in a storage shed in Franklin. We drove up Friday and back on Saturday and the roads we used were completely clear. I, of course, was going nuts 'cause I wanted to go out and shoot and we didn't have time. The spots where there was still ice on the hillsides (near Worcester along the Pike) were just gorgeous when the sun hit them.
The hotel in Franklin was full Fri night because of people without power coming south.

 

[papagene]

Just got back from a photo outing to Ashfield, Plainfield, Adams area with a few LF photogs... wow! Other than all the hardships this storm caused, it was/is a photographer's paradise!! You could throw your camera out the window and where ever it landed you could get a great shot. It was visual overload.
The scenes were beautiful, frightening, amazing, dangerous, incredible... all at the same time. We were just awestruck!
Then we stopped in Turners Falls to see the Caponigro show... more amazing visuals.

To all those still without power... please stay safe and warm.

gene

 

[LizzBartlett]

Gene, Were you guys up at Whitcomb Summit in Florida on Saturday morning? My friend Ralph, who you met at Whitey's in June, says he was up there and saw a couple of guys with 4x5s.

IBBY!
Lizz

 

[papagene]

Nope... we were in the area yesterday. I will be processing film tonight to see what I got.

gene

 

[bdial]

A big thanks to Connecticut Power & Light ! (They supplied the "guest" crew that did the work in our area.) Our power is back on, as of sometime late this afternoon.

It's amazingly easy to take electric power for granted, until you try and keep a household running in winter without it.

 

[papagene]

Good to hear you are back to normal Barry. Now we can hope that Suzanne can get the power back at her house soon.

gene

 

[sun of sand]

missing out in WNY
maybe get a little taste here tonight

 

[Jon King]

A big thanks to Connecticut Power & Light ! (They supplied the "guest" crew that did the work in our area.) Our power is back on, as of sometime late this afternoon.

It's amazingly easy to take electric power for granted, until you try and keep a household running in winter without it.

Congrats Barry. I wouldn't really complain if you sent the crew my way now . Best wishes to Suzanne and any other apuggers still out.

 

[SuzanneR]

We got the power back on Monday night, but still without phone and internet at home, so I'm at my studio which has had power. Thank goodness we have that space to hang out! Anyway, now dealing with snow days with kids... the month of no school!! Ack!!

 

[Drew B.]

Big time snow this Friday...eh? 8-10 on the Cape...which is ok with me....! The more the merriaaaaah

ps...Oh, I'm glad you got power back!

 

[papagene]

Let it snow... let it snow... let it snow!
Oh, wait a minute... BAH HUMBUG!!!!!!!!!

gene

 

[Sirius Glass]

When an ice storm hit Rochester NY in 2003, I said, "Why can't you people get it straight. In California we are much more practical. We keep snow on the mountains for skiers and snowboarders while ice belongs in skating rinks and drinks and not on the sidewalks and streets! It is not a complex idea. Just do it!"

Steve

 

[Steve Smith]

Ice storm isn't a term we use in the UK. Is this a different term for a heavy snow storm or something different?
Possibly what we would refer to as freezing rain?


Steve.

 

[bdial]

It's freezing rain which, given the right conditions, freezes on the trees, and builds a thick coating of ice. Following the precipitation, it was windy which resulted in branches breaking off or trees toppling from the weight.

Much of New Hampshire is forested, so power lines were in great jeopardy throughout the state. There are still areas without power due to the damage. I didn't measure, but I'd say the ice coating was between 5 and 10 mm on many of the branches that came down.
Though New Hampshire got the worst of it by most measures, northern Massachusetts (bordering NH on the south) and Vermont (to the west) had extensive damage as well.

 

[Schlapp]

There was a peice on 'From our correspondent' on the BBC R4 yesterday about this ice storm. Very interesting it was too. Should be on BBC listen again.

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Ice storm isn't a term we use in the UK. Is this a different term for a heavy snow storm or something different?
Possibly what we would refer to as freezing rain?


Steve.

Here's a bit more detail if you are a bit of a weather wonk, like myself.

http://icestorms1.tripod.com/id14.html

 

[papagene]

Here is a pic of what a bad ice storm can do. It is a close up of a pine covered with ice. Taken last weekend, just a couple of days after the storm hit. The location is Plainfield, MA, up in the Berkshire hills.

gene

 

[mikebarger]

Neat picture Gene

Mike

 

[winger]

Great shot, Gene! And just imagine what happens when a whole stand of trees is coated like this and the sun shines through. Kinda like a chandelier (sp?).

Also imagine what it's like to have 10mm of solid ice coating your car and needing to get it off without chipping the paint. Been there, done that. A couple of feet of snow is easier to deal with, I think.

And, no, there's no snow here. No white Christmas for me.

 

[jovo]

There must be a dozen or more kinds of snow between "dry" and "wet". My snow-blower is good for about three of them that only fall in Colorado...on Thursdays...between 10 and 12 AM. I live in New York. For two days now I've been out pushing the bleepin' blower around only to see it clog and fail with the mere appearance of the sun for 10 or 12 seconds.

I love snow. In pictures. Somewhere I'm not. And today is the first day of winter. !@#$ADSRAD!!!!!

 

[LizzBartlett]

I have a few images up from the storm at my blog http://www.lizzbartlett.blogspot.com It was pretty messy. On Saturday I drove over a lot of downed lines to get up to the high country.

IBBY!
Lizz

 

[Drew B.]

And today is the first day of winter. !@#$ADSRAD!!!!!

Ya but, it was the shortest day of the year! Its all uphill from here!